My Instagram discover page is entirely filled with fashion, so it takes a lot for something to stand out. But recently, one post caught my eye while I was mindlessly scrolling through my feed; the only thing I could think was #outfitgoals.
Some people just have a knack for mixing patterns without looking like a toddler dressing for the first time (see: the goddess Olivia Palermo). In this one outfit, Palermo succeeded in mixing three different patterns plus two different vertical stripes, and she looked far from a sartorially-impaired toddler (i.e. me). In fact, she looked seriously chic. How?
With this picture mentally pinned on my inspiration board and saved in my Instagram collections, I made it my mission to spend my week attempting to mix patterns like Palermo.
Attempt #1
On Monday, the first step was to pick one color and find two patterns that included it (mixing contrasting colored patterns is expert level, we’re starting off slow). I chose classic navy blue and white and picked a striped shirt and floral pants. Actually, the pants are really a jumpsuit, so I guess I attempted layering, too. But that’s a story for another time.
I felt pretty chic in this outfit. I didn’t feel like I was trying too hard to make something cool, but the mixed patterns added just a little excitement to my day.
Attempt #2
In the name of honesty, I admit that I skipped a day because the pressure to pattern mix two days in a row was all too much. I returned to my mission on Wednesday. This time I went for floral and plaid (side note: I definitely need to buy some new patterns). I paired black plaid pants with a pink floral button-down, unbuttoned from the bottom up for some added ~fun~.
This pattern mixing was on the safer side – you can barely even tell the pants are patterned, but I promise they are.
Attempt #3
Then came Thursday, my final attempt at mixing patterns. I kicked it up a notch, mixing not one, but two floral patterns. One was a bomber jacket with an oversized floral print, and the other was my all-time favorite button-down in a small floral print.
This was my favorite outfit of all three daring days. The fact that one pattern is smaller and more subtle than the other worked in my favor. If they were both oversized and entirely in-your-face, I don’t think I could have pulled it off.
So, what did I learn?
Pattern mixing is honestly fun, and I definitely don’t think I looked like I got dressed in the dark. Did I master the art of pattern mixing? Debatable. But I’ve still got a lifetime left to try and an entire Instagram collection for inspiration.